Unit Outline

This capstone unit is designed to prepare you for the transition from academic learning to professional practice, focusing on the consolidation of knowledge and clinical paramedicine in preparation for your career. You will enhance your skills in continuing professional and personal development, understanding its role in maintaining your readiness and currency while contributing to safer care.

You will also consolidate your ability to propose and implement evidence-based, person-centred care that strives to improve outcomes.

By emphasising the importance of personal resilience, stress management, and drawing on your experience over the course of the degree, this unit will equip you to maintain long-term well-being and ensure a balanced and healthy professional life.

This unit is crucial for those aspiring to be ready to face the challenges of the healthcare environment.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1	Evaluate different development methods that enhance professional capabilities in paramedicine, assessing their effectiveness and relevance to current practice.
2	Analyse suboptimal practice to facilitate professional growth and enhance decision-making skills in paramedicine.
3	Demonstrate sustainable paramedic practice by promoting personal resilience and stress management to ensure long-term professional well-being.
4	Propose person-centred care in a healthcare setting that is evidence-based and tailored to individual needs.

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Pre-requisite	All previous units except CAA314, CXA309, CAA321

Alterations as a result of student feedback

Assessment tasks have been updated to better align with and measure Intended Learning Outcomes.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Improvement Report	Week 4	25 %	LO1, LO2
Assessment Task 2:	A Work in Progress	Week 10	30 %	LO1, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 3:	Continuous Professional Development Journey	Week 13	45 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Improvement Report

Task Description:

Students will write a report analysing a clinical or communication error that resulted in a deleterious outcome. The report should include a description of the situation / circumstances, an analysis of its causes, and a discussion of the impact on patient care. Students will propose strategies for preventing similar errors in the future, focusing on professional development methods and utilising contemporary evidence to support their discussion.

Task Length:

1000 words

Due Date:

Week 4

Weight:

25 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Provides a clear and detailed description of the clinical error and its impact on patient care.	LO2
2	Analyses the underlying causes of the clinical error.	LO2
3	Proposes evidence-based strategies for preventing similar errors in the future, including professional development methods.	LO1, LO2

Assessment Task 2: A Work in Progress

Task Description:

Reflect on your experiences during an intensive, fast-track degree to identify moments where you were under high stress or in high pressure situations. Using this self-reflection, deliver a presentation on strategies for promoting personal resilience and stress management with the objective of achieving long-term professional well-being. The presentation must be evidence-based and include contemporary research to support the discussion.

Task Length:

Up to 10 minutes

Due Date:

Week 10

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Uses an appropriate model to reflect on their past experiences during 53X.	LO1
2	Evaluates strategies for improving resilience and stress management.	LO3
3	Uses contemporary research to support the discussion.	LO4

Assessment Task 3: Continuous Professional Development Journey

Task Description:

Throughout the unit, students will maintain a structured portfolio documenting their experiences, reflecting on clinical and non-clinical situations, and proposing evidence-based solutions. The portfolio will include a professional development plan, analysis of development methods, and strategies for promoting resilience and stress management. This comprehensive task aims to enhance professional growth, decision-making skills, and person-centred care.

Task Length:

2000 words excluding references

Due Date:

Week 13

Weight:

45 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Demonstrates critical, case-based reflection to facilitate personal and professional growth.	LO2
2	Critically evaluates different methods of professional development and their relevance to current paramedicine practice.	LO1
3	Proposes safe, appropriate, person-centred care that is evidence-based and tailored to individual needs	LO4
4	Clearly outlines goals, strategies, and timelines for continued professional growth, including methods to promote personal resilience and manage stress	LO3

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes and achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater.

Academic progress review

The results for this unit may be included in a review of your academic progress. For information about progress reviews and what they mean for all students, see Academic Progress Review in the Student Portal.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.